National Reading Month

To all the literature lovers out there, National Reading Month is coming up this March. For those who already enjoy reading, this could serve as the perfect month to add to their personal number of books read. As for those who don't find any pleasure in reading at the moment, this month could be the time to find a book they do like.

National Reading Month was started and set in the month of March in honor of Dr. Seuss' birthday. It is meant to encourage those of all ages to read more. Charities such as the Arlington Housing Corporation and Reading Is Fundamental are promoted during National Reading Month.

English teachers may have particular plans for National Reading Month. English teacher Jamie Treash gave a sample of her ideas for the month-long celebration. While she is not doing any special project, she plans to possibly have her students do a book talk each quarter for bonus points.

If students are feeling intimidated by the length of a book they are looking at, not to worry. Treash explained that reading takes as much time as someone is willing to put into it. "There is no set amount of time for how long a book takes," she said. "If I am on vacation, I may read a book in a day, but if my schedule is busy and I have a great deal of grading to do, it may take me a week or more to read a book." Overall, students should focus on the content of the book, rather than the amount of pages. There is no requirement to finish a book in a certain amount of time, unless it is being used for a project.

Students can always talk to English teachers for book recommendations. Treash gave a specific example of a book she enjoyed. "A Thousand Splendid Suns is a book that made an impact on me, but it wasn't a recent read," she said. "The book takes place in Afghanistan through the perspectives of two women whose lives intersect mid-way through the novel. I learned a great deal about the culture by reading the book."

Story by Aria Glover